Playing With Time
by HARRY.POTTER.QUICHE
Summary: Early in the morning, and on a Monday no less, Harry is called to fight at an attack on Diagon Alley. Something bigger then occurs. Something bigger than he ever could have imagined.
1. Chapter 1 - ARRIVING IN THE PAST

**HELLOOOOOOO! I AM ON TO MY SECOND EVER STORY! I don't know how often I am going to write or how many are going to be oneshots and how many are gonna be multi-chap, and I don't know what fandoms I will mostly write for. Although the latter will probably Harry Potter… Anyway I don't know about anything yet, so a lot of everything will be random and crazy and confuse you! Anyway thank you to anyone who reads any of my stories. *HUGS ALL ROUND***

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters in this story. They all belong to the wonderful JK Rowling!**

 **Enjoy!**

… **.**

Harry Potter, inhabitant of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, husband of Ginevra Weasley, son of James and Lily Potter, godfather of Teddy Lupin and in-law to all the Weasleys, sat up in bed and reached for his glasses. He looked around and Ginny wasn't in the bed beside him, so she must have already left for quidditch practice. What time was it, then? He wandlessly cast a _tempus_ charm, and the time appeared in front of him, in shimmering blue letters _._

' _9:35, 8_ _TH_ _SEPTEMBER 2003.'_

He yawned and dragged himself out of bed. He had roughly 20 minutes to get ready, and then could floo to the ministry for work. He didn't have to be in until 10:00 on Mondays.

…

15 minutes later he was in the shower, when the noise signalling a floo call sounded. Harry jumped and hit his head against the shower. Swearing, holding his head and wrapping a towel around him at the same time, he raced to the dining room.

"Hello?" he panted as he ran. "You better have a good reason for calling on me!"

When he entered the room, he found the head of his best mate in the fireplace. "Harry! Come quickly! There's been an attack! Diagon Alley, get here ASAP!"

Ron disappeared without waiting for an answer. Without hesitation, Harry transfigured his towel into some robes and apparated to Diagon Alley.

The second he got there, he had to jump out of the way of a spell. He scanned the area. The fight was spread out quite far, and there were wizards and witches, some children even, hiding in all the shops. The fight was between a big group of men in their auror robes and a slightly bigger group of wizards in black robes. Death eaters. The aurors had rounded up many after the Battle of Hogwarts, but more turned all over the place, at random times. They hoped to gain revenge for their dead master, and they knew they wouldn't be accepted by most people even now, years after Voldemort's death.

Harry quickly cast stunners and hexes at all the nearest death eaters. The aurors were outnumbered, but had better skill, and could each take on more than one. Harry had already taken out roughly seven when he spotted a familiar red head.

"Ron!"

"Hey Harry, about time you got here!"

"Any casualties yet?"

"Don't think so."

Harry and Ron stood back to back, and fought together as they had for years. Individually they were both formidable foes, but Harry and Ron had spent years working as a team and knew what they were doing. None of the deatheaters could get a hex anywhere near them, as their shields were so strong, and they were taking out dozens of men each, every few seconds. The deatheaters didn't stand a chance.

Finally when it seemed all the deatheaters were down, Harry breathed a sigh of relief and started some spells to tie up the stunned deatheaters.

"HARRY!"

He turned around, shield forming, but he wasn't quick enough. The blue light hit him right in the chest.

…..

Harry moaned and slowly sat up. He looked around him. He was in Diagon Alley still, but it appeared to be empty. Where was Ron? It was also quite dark. How long had he been left here? What had that spell done to him?

He stood up carefully to test his legs. Only the second he stood up, he fell back down again in shock. He stared in disbelief at his legs.

Harry summoned a mirror from one of the nearby shops and stared in disbelief and horror. It was not the body he was used to staring back at him. It was one he had not seen in a very long time…

It was his 16-year-old self.

…

Harry slowly sank to the ground. He didn't understand what was happening… It must have been something in that spell that hit him. But that still didn't answer why the aurors left him here in the street…

Harry paced for a few seconds then stopped. "Wand" he whispered, and as he had set it to do, his wand flew from his arm holster to his hand. He didn't need to use his wand, but he often did as it avoided awkward questions. Everybody already thought he was a hero. The Daily Prophet would have a field day if someone (and it would probably be Rita Skeeter, who would make an even bigger deal out of it) found out he could do wandless magic.

He cast a _tempus_ charm. Seeing the numbers in the air, he sank to the ground for the second time in the last few minutes.

' _10:10, 8_ _th_ _SEPTEMBER 1976'_


	2. Chapter 2 - HOGWARTS

**ALOHA! I AM BACK! I mean I wasn't away for very long, but… OH WELL! Anyway, this is the second chapter of Playing with Time…**

 **I don't really know where this fanfiction is going yet, so stick with me, and I hope it makes sense! How many chapters do you think it should be?**

 **Enjoy!**

… **.**

Harry scratched the back of his neck. So. The spell must have done two things. 1) Put him in his 16 year old body. 2) Sent him back to 1976…

What happened in 1976? It would be before he was born, and therefore before his parents died! He didn't know what to think. Did he want to meet them? Was he just going to see his father being a jerk, like he had seen in the pensieve? But Sirius said James grew out of it…

1976\. How old would his parents and their friends be? He knew his Sirius was born in 59… The marauders would be 16 years old!

Not to mention his mum. And Professor Snape. And all of his friend's parents!

And… like his current body!

He knew what he was going to do before he decided it.

Harry Potter was going back to Hogwarts.

…..

Using a quick hair lengthening charm, he made his hair shoulder length and charmed it brown. He then charmed his eyes a hazel colour. It was only then that he realised he was wearing glasses. After the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry had magically mended his eyesight and had no use for his glasses. However, he definitely needed them when he was 16, so would supposedly need them now.

He clicked his knuckles, and headed off for the Leaky Cauldron.

…

One of the reasons Harry went to the Leaky Cauldron a lot was that Tom was always friendly and tried to support his coming to the pub often. 'Good publicity' he said. Harry didn't mind, as it was his favourite place to eat in Diagon Alley; he and Ron often came after work.

The other main reason he liked the inn was the fact that it was open pretty much all night. This came in handy in some unusual circumstances. Like now, for instance.

Harry pushed open the door and peeked inside. The pub was unusually empty. There were still quite a few people inside, but less than Harry normally saw. Harry shook his head and headed over to the bar. He smiled at Tom, who looked significantly younger than the last time he had seen him.

"Room for the night?"

Tom raised an eyebrow. "20 galleons."

Harry grinned and handed over a 20 gold coins from the emergency stash he always kept in his pocket.

Tom's eyes widened as he took the money. He reached around behind him for a key. "Room 17." He said gruffly. Harry smiled, took the key and headed up the stairs. He kicked off his shoes and lay down on the bed.

Now came the hard bits. He would need new clothes and robes, ones which would fit his 16 year old body. Also he would need a way to get Dumbledore to let him into the school. He would need a new name, identity and look. There was no way he could just walk into Hogwarts and tell Albus he was Harry Potter, and he had travelled back 30 years in the past. He would be sent off to the mental health ward at St Mungo's.

By the time he went to sleep, he had a full plan laid out in his mind. This would either be the best, or worst, time of his life.

…..

Harry woke up bright and ready at 6:30 in the morning. The first thing he did was re-transfigure himself. He made these charms a lot stronger than the first ones. He gave himself light brown hair (it was slightly shorter than but just as messy as his own) and kept the hazel eyes. It was sad to lose his normal, unique green ones, but it wasn't too bad. He place his glasses back on, happy with his new look. He would still need to get his 16 year old body into shape. He had forgotten how scrawny he used to be.

Harry apparated to some of his favourite places to work out. He finally chose a secluded field, one that nobody went near. He cast a few repelling charms to be safe. He started by running around the field several times, before starting his usual exercises.

By 9:00, he was sweaty and tired, but felt more in control than he had at any other time since he had arrived in the past.

He then spent the next few hours walking up and down Diagon Alley. He bought some robes that fit his new body, some books that he knew would help him in school (and a few other books about time travel theories, defence against the dark arts and some advanced magic) and a new owl.

His own owl, Maia, was back in 2003. When he went into Eeylops, he saw a snowy white owl that greatly resembled Hedwig and he couldn't resist. Maia was a tawny, because he knew if he had one that looked anything like Hedwig he would be sad whenever he saw her. Now however, he thought it had been long enough. So he took his new owl, Sonya, and other goods, to Florean's; which, he was pleased to see, still existed in 1977.

He got his favourite caramel swirl, and sat back thinking over what he would say to Dumbledore and what it would be like to see James, Lily, Sirius and Remus again. Of course, it had also occurred to him that he would have to see Peter. It would take everything in him not to hate the rat, but he would cope.

Finally, not being able to delay it any longer, he disapparated to Hogwarts. Then he realised that 1) most people weren't able to apparate within Hogwarts so he probably shouldn't, if he wanted to be subtle, and 2) that for most 16 year olds it would be illegal to apparate at all. God, this was going to be harder than he thought it would…

Harry slowly headed up to the school. Of course, it was lesson time so there was nobody about. This was definitely good. Harry headed for the headmaster's office.

When he saw the gargoyle he groaned. Now he would have to think of the password.

"Fizzing Whizzbees." No answer.

"Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans." Still no answer.

"Acid Pops?" He tried. Still nothing.

Remembering his headmaster's love for muggle sweets, he tried a different approach.

"Jelly Babies."

"Candy Canes."

"Double Decker, Mars, Gummy Bears." Then he realised something.

"Why didn't I think of this before?" He palmed his head. Then he looked up at the gargoyle, straight at his eyes.

"Gargoyle. Speak now." His voice was low and commanding.

The gargoyle immediately sprang into a bow. "Mr Potter! Will you be wanting entry?"

"Yes, thank you, gargoyle. You are a good friend." The gargoyle moved aside and let Harry pass.

He had discovered something after the gargoyle had been repaired in his time, and that was that gargoyles had deep loyalty and respect, for those they deemed worthy of it. He hadn't known if the gargoyle would recognise him, having not met him yet in this time, but he obviously needn't have worried.

Harry headed up the stairs. When he got to the top, he knocked on Dumbledore's door quickly. He couldn't back out now.

"Enter."

Harry took a deep breath and opened the door. Upon entering the room, he was amused to notice that the office looked almost exactly the same as when he first entered the office. He even remembered destroying some of the objects in the room at the end of his firth year. Of course, most of this amusement was buried underneath the mounting feeling of doubt that was building up in his chest. Why did he think this was a good idea?

Oh well, too late now.

Dumbledore was looking up at him, with an expression of polite interest. Harry took another deep breath and spoke.

"Sir, my name is Harry Granger. I am a half-blood wizard. I have been home-schooled my whole life, but my mother was recently killed in a death eater attack. My aunt suggested I come here." Harry hoped death eaters attack were common at this point in time, otherwise this could go very badly…

Dumbledore however seemed to be looking at Harry in a kind of sad way that Harry assumed must be a sorry, grieving look. "My dear boy! This is indeed very sad! May I ask who your mother was?"

Harry hoped beyond anything that Dumbledore would believe him. "Her name was Agatha Granger; her maiden name was Clearwater."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "Why, we have a Clearwater at Hogwarts currently, in his seventh year!"

Harry shrugged and tried to look sad and confused. "I never really met my mum's side of the family. I don't think she got on with them. The aunt I spoke of was my dad's sister. She is a muggle, but was close with my mum. Apparently my mum had hoped to send me here, but we moved to Spain when I was nine."

Dumbledore seemed to accept his answers. "Well, we will certainly do our best to fit you in here! Where are you staying?"

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "My family are still in Spain, so I am currently staying in The Leaky Cauldron. This is a letter my father wrote to you, about me."

Harry handed over a letter he had written this morning, in carefully concealed handwriting. Dumbledore took it, and appeared to be reading it thoroughly, but after a few seconds, Harry felt the small probing in his brain that he immediately recognised.

Legilimency. Harry's occlumency shields were already in full force, and Dumbledore widened his eyes in shock.

Harry tried not to glare, but he didn't know if it had worked. "I would appreciate it if you didn't try that again, headmaster."

Dumbledore nodded slowly, his composure immediately returning. "If I may, where did you learn how to do that?"

Harry ducked his head nervously. "A trick my mum taught me."

"Well, whatever the case, you have certainly earned a place at this school."

Harry raised his head excitedly to see Dumbledore smiling warmly.

He was in.

He was going to meet his parents.


	3. Chapter 3 - MEET THE MARAUDERS

**BONJOUR! ME AGAIN! How are you all? I'm back with another chapter. Let me know what you think, and how many chapters the whole story should be… Oh and I realised I didn't put in a disclaimer in the first chapter, so have put that in now!**

 **Enjoy!**

… **.**

Dumbledore immediately stood up.

"Now on to the important things. We are going to have to get you sorted, and in to a dorm room. We will have to sort out your classes as well! How old are you?"

Harry blinked and tried to take in everything Dumbledore was saying. "Oh, I am 16 years old."

Taking in Dumbledore's concealed look of surprise, Harry knew it would be a long time of exercising every morning before he looked his age. "16? So you will be going into your sixth year. This means most of your year will have done their O.W.L's last year! Will you be alright keeping up?"

Harry had to put conscious effort in to not rolling his eyes. "I'm sure I'll be fine, Professor."

"Okay then, let's get you sorted."

Harry had thought about this. What if he didn't get into Gryffindor? The sorting hat had wanted to put him in Slytherin the first time around… His father and Sirius would hate him if he joined Slytherin! And would the hat know he was from the future and who he really was? Would he tell Dumbledore?

But he didn't have a choice, so he sat down on the chair Dumbledore had gestured to. He realised the headmaster had been talking to him the whole time and he hadn't been paying attention.

"This won't hurt or anything, don't worry."

The hat was placed carefully on his head and Harry waited with bated breath.

He was there for a while before he heard a small voice whispering in his ear. "Listen, you're gonna have to take those occlumency shields down, I can't see anything."

Harry blushed and quickly took down his metal shields.

"Ah yes." Whispered the hat the second he got a look into Harry's mind. "Well, don't worry, I can see everything. No, I will not tell Albus. Nor will I tear apart father and son, two generations of the Potters at Hogwarts at the same time! Certainly a recipe for trouble! But I will not do anything. Just make sure _you_ do not do anything. Whatever you do, you must not change the future!"

Before Harry could figure what he meant, he heard the voice of the hat speaking to whole room. "Gryffindor!"

Harry saw Dumbledore's expression as he took the hat away and saw the relief on the old man's face. Obviously, the old man had been having doubts about Harry's identity but trusted the sorting hat. Harry was just happy the hat wasn't going to tell Albus anything.

"Well now, you will be joining the new 6th year Gryffindors then! I warn you, they are quite a bit of trouble and like a good joke! Watch your feet around them! But they are good boys. They will be very friendly."

Harry felt his heart warm to hear the headmaster talk about his father and his friends that way. Obviously, Dumbledore knew that James would get his act together soon enough.

"As for your classes, what you choose will then be your N.E.W.T subjects, so choose wisely!"

"Well professor, I don't know if I will still be here at the end of next year," This was true, as Harry had no idea when he would be going home. "But if possible, I would like to take Charms, Transfiguration, Defence against the Dark Arts, Herbology and Potions."

"Very well, my boy! I'm sure we will be able to sort that out! You have chosen some of the hardest subjects, but if you think you can cope! I will get Professor McGonagall to show you to your common room and dormitory. She will be your head of house and transfiguration teacher."

Harry smiled at Dumbledore, but when he turned around to leave the office, Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't believe it had been so easy! Now he was going to meet his parents, and Sirius and Remus! He could see everyone again! People he hadn't seen his years!

Surely he could avoid Voldemort for a whole year. Right?

…

After being introduced to a much younger looking McGonagall, Harry was now being shown up to Gryffindor Tower. Along the way, McGonagall pointed out all of the toilets, classrooms for the classes he was taking and important places like the Great Hall. Harry found it nice, and he tried to look as amazed as the first time he had seen everything. It wasn't hard, as everything was newer and younger than he had ever seen it. Of course this was still centuries old.

When they got to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Harry tried not to grin when he saw the familiar Fat Lady standing in her painting.

McGonagall said the password ('Absurd') and led him through to the common room. She led him over to the fire where four boys were lazily lounging about. Harry took a deep breath.

Sitting on the floor, next to the fire, was a young Peter Pettigrew. He was slightly chubby and short, but he looked happier and more relaxed than Harry had ever seen him. He looked laid back and glad to be with his friends. If you told someone that the fat boy sitting comfortably by the fireplace was going to betray all of the friends he was laughing cheerfully with now, you would be told it was an absurd idea.

Sitting on the sofa Peter was leaning on, was another face that Harry immediately recognised but was very different to the last time Harry had seen it. Sirius Orion Black. He was lounging back lazily, taking up most of the sofa. His hair was long and styled. His eyes were bright and mischievous. His face was young and carefree. Free of all of the torment and darkness that Harry had seen on this face the last time he saw it. It was happy yet sad to know that this young carefree face was going to turn completely different in only a few years' time. A few deaths. A dozen years in prison. An act of great betrayal. And after all that the face would be unrecognisable. Of course, now he looked the picture of comfort as he stretched out across the sofa and gently prodded the person at the end of it with this toe.

This person was of course none other than Remus Lupin. His dusty blonde hair was splayed haphazardly across his forehead, attempting to cover up the cut on his eyebrow. His face was covered in these cuts and scars. However the expression his face was wearing was the same as the others'. Relaxed. Happy. Laughing. Remus put on a mock angry face, as he carefully grabbed Sirius' toe and pushed it away from him.

When Harry heard the laugh, he knew who it was going to be from. The fourth boy. The only other teenager who would be hanging around with the Marauders. His father.

But he couldn't bring himself to look. So he stood their awkwardly as Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and gained their attention. He still hadn't looked at the fourth boy.

"This is Harry Granger. He is going to be joining your year and house. He will therefore be in your dormitory. Make sure he learns his way around the school and knows what he is doing."

She turned to him. "This is Peter, James and Sirius. Remus is your prefect if you need anything. And I'm sure the other 6th year Gryffindor prefect, Lily Evans, will come and introduce herself at some point. Come and see me if you need anything"

"Thank you, Professor." Those were the words that came out of his mouth, but his mind was on a different level. Mentally he was yelling 'please don't leave me here. This is my dead family. Please don't leave me here!'

But it was too late. McGonagall had nodded and left.

Harry felt the gaze of the boys and turned around.

Sirius met his gaze and looked at him thoughtfully. Peter was smiling and trying to look welcoming. Remus gave a happy and encouraging smile.

Harry couldn't put it off anymore.

He turned slowly and met the gaze of his father.


	4. Chapter 4 - OF PRANKS AND LILY EVANS

**HEY! IT'S BEEN A WHILE! I haven't added to this story in ages! I've been busy writing for different stories and doing Christmassy stuff! But now I am back, and writing for this story. As I said in the last couple of chapters, if you have any ideas about where this should go, do tell!**

 **Enjoy!**

… **.**

Harry took a seat on a big armchair by the fire. He tried to keep his face still, but it was hard when looking into the still, searching, poker face of his father.

He was a Gryffindor. He was Head Auror. He had defeated Voldemort! He could do this.

"Hi."

Remus tried to lift the tension immediately. "Hello! Harry, right? Well, as Professor McGonagall said, I am Remus. This is Peter, Sirius and James."

Harry smiled gratefully. "So, what's it like here?"

Sirius spoke up. "It's alright. All you need to know is this: Minnie is the most likely to give you a detention. All Slytherins are jerks. Lily Evans is James' property, however if you ask me, he'll never win her over. Which means they'll both be alone forever."

James kicked Sirius. "Shut up." He grumbled.

Harry smiled awkwardly, although inside his heart was melting seeing the marauders alive and happy.

"So Harry," Harry looked at James immediately, hoping that his face didn't give away what he was feeling. "You play quidditch?"

Harry grinned. Of course that would be the first thing a Potter would ask. "Yep. I'm a seeker."

James lit up. "Brilliant! I hope you're good. Our last seeker, Roger, left last year. He was captain as well."

Sirius smirked. "James is the new one. He will not stop going on about it."

James kicked Sirius again. "Oi!"

Peter then spoke for the first time. "Do you like pranks?"

James and Sirius stopped arguing and leant forward to hear his answer. Harry nodded. "Oh Merlin, you should hear some of the stuff me and my best mate got up to last year."

James and Sirius shared a look of what could have been incredulity, surprise, amusement or pure disbelief.

The two Potters spent the next fifteen minutes or so, comparing prank stories, with Sirius chipping in every so often when James forgot something. Harry was not disappointed when hearing his father and godfather's tales, as they lived up to the legend. Nor, on the other hand, did he have to make up his own stories.

He and Ron had spent all of the last year engaged in a massive Prank War, with Ginny laughing, and often lending Harry a hand, and Hermione shaking her head and trying not to grin. If nothing else came from the event, Harry at least had some hilarious stories to tell the Marauders. Of course there were a few he had to adapt, keeping up the pretence of being only sixteen years of age.

"And," Harry explained. "the potion landed on him, right in front the Professor! She was terrifying for the next few weeks, suspicious of everyone, and wouldn't take her eye off him!"

Sirius and James leant on each other, trying to stop laughing.

"We did a similar one!" James tried to say through laughter. "Right on Snivellus' head! McGonagall was livid! I think she knew it was us, but couldn't prove anything, and she just had to try and calm down Snape who was going mental!"

Harry guffawed along with them, but he couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed that he hadn't come along at a time after his father and Snape had gotten over their differences, and James tried to be nicer. At least he was on his way. And from everything Sirius was implying, James was still annoying Lily, asking her out every day, and she wasn't having any of it.

It was only a few minutes after Harry thinking this that Remus and Sirius managed to flip the conversation round to the funniest times James had asked out Lily, and of course, been rejected.

"You see," Sirius explained. "Lily's speciality is the bat-bogey hex, although she has tried a great range of jinxes and hexes out on our Jamsie here over the last few years. One time, in the middle of the Great Hall, James sent her a howler that recited a love poem. Unfortunately, James isn't the greatest poet. Maybe if he had been better he would have won her over, and not been hit by a tail-growing hex."

"I've been trying to figure out which spell or incantation she used since, but can't find it." Remus mused.

"Probably crescendum caudam." Said Harry immediately.

"What?" The Marauders were all giving him weird looks, even James who had been hiding his face in his hands since they mentioned Lily.

"Oh." Harry blushed. "I…uh…I mean… my mum taught me a lot of jinxes and hexes a long while ago."

The Marauders were still giving him odd looks, but James was eager to change the subject.

"My mum normally tries to stop learning hexes! You're so lucky!"

The conversation topic had just moved on from Lily, and she probably wouldn't have resurfaced if it weren't for James' inability to pass up an opportunity to ask her out.

His eyes lit up, and Harry followed his gaze, only to see his mother walking across the room. He watched her in shock. It was different from all the pictures, seeing her in real life, but she looked just as young and happy and relaxed.

"Hey, Evans!" Lily froze and her face iced over.

"What in Merlin's name could you want now, Potter? Please don't tell me you are going to make me late for lunch just to ask me out again?"

James smirked and pretended to look offended. "Why Lily Flower you wound me!"

"What, because you've never asked me out before?"

James stood up and knelt at her feet, grinning broadly. "My dear me, I have never asked you out? Such a beautiful young woman you are too and such a disgrace to myself to have never asked such a beautiful lady! So, Miss Evans, will you-"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, no!" She stormed out of the common room, leaving James looking rather confused and angry on one knee in the middle of the room.

Sirius stopped laughing long enough to pat James on the shoulder. "Better luck next time Prongs!"

James huffed. "She'll give in eventually."

"You really think waring her away until she finally gets so annoyed she says yes, is the best way to get her to go out with you?" Harry asked.

James looked surprised, Peter looked confused, Remus looked amused and Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Now young Harry, you must understand, James is never going to win over Lily Evans! However, as his closest friends, we go along with it, and are supportive! Do you understand?"

Remus laughed at James' disgruntled expression. "Lily was right though; its lunch time soon so we might as well go down and grab a bite."

Peter grinned. "I was waiting for someone to say that!" The boys laughed and got up, heading down to the Great Hall.

Harry couldn't help being proud, and happy of his first conversation with the Marauders. They had talked about quidditch and pranks, and he had even seen his mother. Maybe his idea hadn't been such a bad one after all.


End file.
